All fought in a conflict that would decide the fate of the world...
World War II in China
World War II was just what it sounds, a World War. This means that many countries fought each other, sending their armies to fight in enormous battles. Many people were killed fighting for the Axis (Germany, Japan, and Italy) or the Allies (the US, England, France, Russia, China, and many other countries). China had a very important role in the war fighting against the Japanese with the help of the US. The Japanese wanted to control Asia but the US and China would not let them and it turned into an ugly war with many innocent people dying on both sides.
WWII in Asia
The Japanese Plan
The Japanese wanted to conquer all of Asia, and China was their main enemy. Japan had a small but very well trained army. They also were very well equipped for combat and would be willing to die for their country. It was very scary when they would all charge at you! “Although Japan possessed significant mobile operational capacity it did not possess capability for maintaining a long sustained war. As a result, Japan adopted a strategy of rapid warfare and conquest” (The Second Sino-Japanese War). Since Japan could not fight for a long period of time they had to be able to move very fast and do a lot of damage. To start the war, the Japanese played a trick so it looked like China started the war and Japan was just defending themselves. It didn't really work, but they attacked China anyway. This would turn out to be a BIG mistake.
Chinese Soldiers
The Chinese Plan
China had a big army and a lot of people, but their soldiers were not as well trained and their weapons were weaker. China was weakened and divided between the nationalists and the communists. When Japan attacked, they took a ton of land really fast, but the Chinese united to stop them. Behind the Japanese lines, there were rebels and guerrillas fighting to kick the Japanese out. The main Chinese army would launch small attacks so the Japanese better soldiers were outnumbered and couldn't kill as many Chinese. The Chinese would not give up! One of the most important parts of this war-zone though was that a huge Japanese army had to keep fighting the Chinese instead of the Americans and British on the other side of the Pacific.
Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima
The United States Plan
The United States also was very important in this war. They didn't want a lot of Japanese soldiers being sent attacking islands in the Pacific. They preferred having the Chinese soldiers keep the Japanese busy while they launched big counter-attacks on Japan from the other side of the Ocean. However China would lose the war unless it received help. So the US sent some soldiers, planes, and advisor's to help the Chinese and keep them in the war. Even during the most horrible times and conditions, the Americans sent supplies to China. America was able to achieve many victories in the Pacific because China was able to keep all the Japanese army busy which greatly influenced the war.
Nuclear Bombing of Hiroshima
Conclusion
These plans all collided in China during WWII, with all the three main combatants trying to make their strategy work. The end result of this was anything but predictable, but it was acceptable to the Americans and the Chinese who won the war at a heavy cost with many soldiers dead. Due to the Chinese keeping tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers busy, the US hit Japan from behind, and slowly fought their way across the Pacific until they dropped an atomic bomb on Japan. It was only after the US dropped another atomic bomb (both of which did enormous amounts of damage) and Russia attacked Japan in China, did the Japanese finally surrender on September 2nd, 1945. The bloody war was finally over.
Chinese Soldiers [Online Image] Available http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/441503031_4a
90e22c64.jpg%3Fv%3D0&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/39735679%40N00/441503031&usg= CD6VMnz5hhRZtpwbpJnD_HLcbnc=&h=403&w=500&sz=151&hl=en&start=5&um=1&tbnid=UFUe
2a8H0a4xNM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3DChinese%2Bsoldiers%2Bin%2BWWII%26hl%3De
n%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1
"Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) - major invasion of eastern China by Japan." Japan-101.com - Japan
Information Resource. 19 Feb. 2009 <http://www.japan-101.com/history/sino1.htm>.
CHINA'S ROLE IN WORLD WAR TWO
By: Alex G
The Empire of Japan
WWII Japanese Flag
China
WWII Chinese Flag
United States of America
American FlagAll fought in a conflict that would decide the fate of the world...
World War II in China
World War II was just what it sounds, a World War. This means that many countries fought each other, sending their armies to fight in enormous battles. Many people were killed fighting for the Axis (Germany, Japan, and Italy) or the Allies (the US, England, France, Russia, China, and many other countries). China had a very important role in the war fighting against the Japanese with the help of the US. The Japanese wanted to control Asia but the US and China would not let them and it turned into an ugly war with many innocent people dying on both sides.WWII in Asia
The Japanese Plan
The Japanese wanted to conquer all of Asia, and China was their main enemy. Japan had a small but very well trained army. They also were very well equipped for combat and would be willing to die for their country. It was very scary when they would all charge at you! “Although Japan possessed significant mobile operational capacity it did not possess capability for maintaining a long sustained war. As a result, Japan adopted a strategy of rapid warfare and conquest” (The Second Sino-Japanese War). Since Japan could not fight for a long period of time they had to be able to move very fast and do a lot of damage. To start the war, the Japanese played a trick so it looked like China started the war and Japan was just defending themselves. It didn't really work, but they attacked China anyway. This would turn out to be a BIG mistake.
Chinese Soldiers
The Chinese Plan
China had a big army and a lot of people, but their soldiers were not as well trained and their weapons were weaker. China was weakened and divided between the nationalists and the communists. When Japan attacked, they took a ton of land really fast, but the Chinese united to stop them. Behind the Japanese lines, there were rebels and guerrillas fighting to kick the Japanese out. The main Chinese army would launch small attacks so the Japanese better soldiers were outnumbered and couldn't kill as many Chinese. The Chinese would not give up! One of the most important parts of this war-zone though was that a huge Japanese army had to keep fighting the Chinese instead of the Americans and British on the other side of the Pacific.
Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima
The United States Plan
The United States also was very important in this war. They didn't want a lot of Japanese soldiers being sent attacking islands in the Pacific. They preferred having the Chinese soldiers keep the Japanese busy while they launched big counter-attacks on Japan from the other side of the Ocean. However China would lose the war unless it received help. So the US sent some soldiers, planes, and advisor's to help the Chinese and keep them in the war. Even during the most horrible times and conditions, the Americans sent supplies to China. America was able to achieve many victories in the Pacific because China was able to keep all the Japanese army busy which greatly influenced the war.
Nuclear Bombing of Hiroshima
Conclusion
These plans all collided in China during WWII, with all the three main combatants trying to make their strategy work. The end result of this was anything but predictable, but it was acceptable to the Americans and the Chinese who won the war at a heavy cost with many soldiers dead. Due to the Chinese keeping tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers busy, the US hit Japan from behind, and slowly fought their way across the Pacific until they dropped an atomic bomb on Japan. It was only after the US dropped another atomic bomb (both of which did enormous amounts of damage) and Russia attacked Japan in China, did the Japanese finally surrender on September 2nd, 1945. The bloody war was finally over.
Picture Citations
WWII Imperial Rising Sun [Online Image] Available
http://www.proudflag.com/yank/flag_sun.jpg 3/12/09
WWII Chinese Flag [Online Image] Available
http://snyderstreasures.com/images/usmilitaria/flags/FlagChiangKaiShekChinaR.jpg
American Flag [Online Image] Available http://www.usflags.com/images/products/oldglory.gif
WWII map of Asian Theater [Online Image] Available http://www.asia-wwii.org/images/asia_map_large.jpg
Chinese Soldiers [Online Image] Available http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/441503031_4a
90e22c64.jpg%3Fv%3D0&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/39735679%40N00/441503031&usg=
CD6VMnz5hhRZtpwbpJnD_HLcbnc=&h=403&w=500&sz=151&hl=en&start=5&um=1&tbnid=UFUe
2a8H0a4xNM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3DChinese%2Bsoldiers%2Bin%2BWWII%26hl%3De
n%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1
Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima [Online Image] Available http://www.yale.edu/terc/democracy/may1text/images/Rosenthal.jpg
Nuclear Bombing of Hiroshima [Online Image] Available http://www.hiroshima-remembered.com/history/hiroshima/images/H17.jpg
Research Citations
"Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) - major invasion of eastern China by Japan." Japan-101.com - Japan
Information Resource. 19 Feb. 2009 <http://www.japan-101.com/history/sino1.htm>.
"The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) - International Military Forums." Military Quotes
and Quotations, Funny Quotes, Mottos, Military Jokes and Humor. 24 Feb. 2009
<http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/second-sino-japanese-war-1937-a-t12715.html>.
"WWII Campaigns: China Defensive." U.S. Army Center Of Military History__. 24 Feb. 2009
<http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/72-38/72-38.htm>.